The Problem

Arizona law does not recognize dyslexia

Although federal law provides the framework and minimum requirements states must meet with respect to the education of students with disabilities, states have considerable latitude with respect to how they implement it. As a result, there is tremendous variation among the states with respect to the identification and treatment of children with disabilities, including dyslexia.A handful of states, including Texas, Arkansas, New Jersey, and Ohio, have enacted sophisticated dyslexia laws and regulations, while several -- including Arizona -- have no laws addressing dyslexia at all! As a result, despite the widespread, scientific and medical consensus about the existence and nature of this brain-based disorder, as well as the existence of evidence-based methods to address it, public schools in Arizona routinely tell families, "We cannot provide that type of reading instruction for your child, because Arizona does not recognize dyslexia." Sadly, these students never receive instruction in the method of teaching reading that works for students with dyslexia.

﻿Students with dyslexia fall behind﻿

Ironically, Arizona is also one of several states that has enacted a law -- called "Move on when Reading" -- dedicated to ensuring that all students learn to read by the fourth grade. Those who do not meet certain standards by the end of third grade are subject to mandatory grade retention; in other words, they are required to repeat the third grade.

There are certain exceptions in the Move On law for students with disabilities; but because dyslexia is not recognized as a disability, students who show signs of it often are not identified as such, at least not by third grade, and those exceptions do not apply. Students with dyslexia are then retained, only to be offered additional reading instruction -- the same instruction that failed to help them the first time around.The results of reading failure are devastating for the student and for society

Students with learning disabilities not only drop out of school at an alarmingly high rate, but many eventually find themselves either unable to find employment or, worse, landing in prison. At both the individual and societal levels, ignoring dyslexia carries tremendous costs.

On the flip side, research now shows that people with dyslexia can be extraordinarily intelligent; and they actually are wired with a brain architecture that carries tremendous gifts in certain non-language related areas, including visual spatial skills and creativity. By ignoring their needs, we squander a precious, national resource.